discussion, i look around and told them i mayors here, but any mayor i better not, they wouldn't be where they are if they weren't ambitious. they are ambitious because they want good things for themselves, residents, cities, families. when you get down to it, that's the economic development is about. it provides opportunities for residents on either sides of the border. united states border, mexican border. when we provide that, things start falling into place. you see a reduction in crime, reduction in drug use. that's what this discussion today and we thank simon increasing for putting the fund is so important because it allows us to move forward and some of the things i think you heard and discussed, we need to increase or border infrastructure and implement a firm but fair immigration

policy. we need to encourage more u.s. cities and mexican city partnerships to allow us to facilitate that trade discussed earlier. earlier in 2011, 2013, las cruces named the champion of change because we were able to show why in the southwest we've been able to increase profit and personnel in a tough and challenging time. during that time, we listened to many officials to me upon the best ration and the president said he wanted to increase trade with mexico. but that type of mandate and this type of forum, you'll see more and more trade with mexico. i appreciate you all coming out today. we eagerly listen i want to hear questions you want to ask. but i'm going to end and turn it to my friend and colleague from

mexico. [applause] >> our final guest speaker comes from the other side of the border with mexico in his name is eduardo olmos. he represents the city on the other side of texas, sort of the southwestern part of texas i guess, just the americans trying to visualize where it is. he beats an industrial city in the border state -- a corrective and it did appear. threatened by organized crime and continues to be attractive to business. it is also a federal congressman deeply invested immigration security issues. he spent time in the united states for school and were lucky he will it trespass in english today. please welcome, mr. mayor. thank you for coming up.

[applause] >> thank you very much. i hope my english is not to be understood. i want to thank for the end education and acknowledge alan bersin and all of their mayors that is spoken. the reason why was that eager to participate in this event of the 21st century initiative and i agree on a very delicate subject the subject of security for regional security because they think there is a wealth of intelligence and information coming from the city governments for two years against drugs and drug cartels.

knowing that there is another stage in the initiative, which is going to do the state government and not the government in this new phase of the initiative they think is necessary that the american people, the federal government in mexico and the united states in which we have a lot of hope in the government of mr. pena nieto and the government of mr. obama, that they can listen other voices on a very delicate subject to security. what are we doing, local governments facing challenges that sometimes go out of our hands and anyway we have to deal with them. there is no doubt that the main concern, for instance, in my city in northeast mexico is a

border state with taxes. too often, cities have borders with the rio, texas that we also have my city on the southeast part of the state and it's a strategic location. my city the city of 670,000 people. it's a big city. the metropolitan area sharing the space which has two cities, our neighbors in another city, which is my city. there is no doubt that the main concern of the people in the border areas on the mexican side is the demand for safety and the demand for security.

this demand is being heard louder and louder than the demands for employment and secret services, which is what we mayors do. when i was listening of course for job creation, economic development. but i mexico, it's becoming also one of the major necessities, which was than in the past, but is now. the fact that a strategic security knowledge and something, which in the past, we never had to do it, which we security issues, which would strategy, which was this alliance that needs to be built at the federal government, drug enforcement agencies, now becomes a necessity. i think that there are models

that can work and can contribute from the municipal perspective, local government perspective against local crime. of course we've had majors would like to be focusing the majority of our time in the strategy of job creation and interaction in the creation of infrastructure. but in some cases can the security issues are taking about 80% of the time and the with a necessity to strategies to deal with security issues and at the same time, also to joe's job investment, education and the creation of infrastructure is. i was talking to you about local models that can work and given the opportunity, local police forces can be a powerful ally of federal forces of the army and drug enforcement agencies in

these efforts. in my experience, and conflicted area, one person agencies, local one person agencies should not be left alone. they become the most strategic asset because of the knowledge and the composition courses have. local police forces are not partners with the federal police, with the state police, with the state forces, inside the conflicted areas pretend to be forced to be an ally of the organized crime given the lack of equipment and the lack of training of the local actors. it is important to create and to implement a policy, which deals

with local police forces and this is why i agree to the metropolitan area that they say and that is around 1.2 million. my city about 670,000. for cities, two seats divided by a dry riverbed, which my mom, for instance it's just 10 or 15 minutes from where i live. we have firmed 2000 to 2006, we had around 30 pilot does per year. this is from 2000 to 2006. the security issue with the fight between the cartels have started and during the strategic position of my city, my city is

in the middle if you are coming from the pacific ocean with a new highway being built, it would have to pass in either you can go up to the north or go to monterey and the radio, which is also a very strategic area. in 2000 -- 2006, 30 are that desperate year. in 2012, we have 761 violent deaths per year. in january, at the 16th of january, we have 28 finally deaths. when i became mayor, when i first put my election, and

mexico the term is usually three years. my state is the only state that lasts for years. we decided we needed to change the model and made that a partnership and assign the retired general to become chief of police. a couple of months into the new administration, we had the police force, police officers didn't want to work with the general. and of course we were wondering if it had to do some with low wages for the betterment of the working conditions. the strike was orchestrated and they didn't want to work under a military chief. we have to take a very tough

decision because there was something totally out of our hands. what we did is we decided to fire and to disappear the police officer department. of course after they heard i had taken the decision to disappear, they decided to go back to work and we justify one condition. you can go back to work if you do three things. number one. number two coming take a polygraph and number three can be said that due to an economic investigation and see the way they live. according to what they are. of the 800, 400 isn't going to do the protesters were left with 400. of those 400, 200 didn't pass a polygraph and 199 didn't pass the chart test. we were left with one

policewoman who is the only one that passed all the tests. so that's almost a level of what were dealing with. so all of a sudden, we were left with the police force. crime lowers. you see the local truck cartels were using the police. they were the police. at that time, we created a partnership with the army. the only one that started taking decisions was the army. we started loading a new force. first of the police officer and we have to of course to raise the wages. and right now, even by u.s. standards, then mexican standard

, averagely well-paid makes about 9000 pesos per month and we started a housing project does though. who ever wanted be a policeman, we would give them a house in in 10 years he would get the title of the house. you were given a house of their family, but after 10 years of service, we'll give you the title so it will be yours so you don't have any complaints. anyway, we created a new model and from being a police on from the cartels that working for the cartels start fighting back. we had very sad experience is because in one year we had around 25 policeman fallen in

this war and most of them are soldiers. most of them used to be in the army and they were using that level in order to assign them as a police source. in a year, we have 600 police officers tested with polygraphs was social and economic ties. during the year and a half we went to the police force we originally had and it has become an asset being used by the army by the federal police. we share intelligence to chart the words made by the local police, something that almost never happen in other local

governments. here we are doing it can be found out strategic value. the strategic value in the local police source. there is a lot of ms. truss in the different agencies of course. but what i can tell you right now is that we have the region has for cities. right now there is no police in three of the city's because all the police have been taken away in order to be examined. the only one that believed in this model and we believe there are people that have a lot -- they believe we can half a site that can be back into tranquility. this is all people ask you. so we still have to still have

to move on the economic side. of course, we need to fix our problems in order to attract investment. we need to also get the message that all these found incidents have only been 97% having to do with people emerged in the drug issue. we have a very large american community that has not been affect the diet. we have large investments that have not been affected, but it's an issue that we are dealing from the local give, we are today this issue and we are partnered with the federal government. we are partnered with the army. we are partnered with governor moraine s., state police said making big advances. there is still an increase and i think the only way they can do with this effectively for your

criminal or needed and we start sharing intelligent resources come equipped and, communications, given a standard. measures in the past and talk about security and perhaps we were taught to say that security was a perception, not a reality. this perhaps seven years ago. not anywhere. right now, whoever wants to be a major has to have a very clear point of view on how to deal with the different security models that need to be applied on the side of the border. i impressed because they see the mayors have a background security local police forces. i think this is what we are trying to do in a city that is medium to big sites.

i think there is a debate, i'm sure very intense debate in the united states commit dealing with gun control and i'm sure we will be watching it very, very closely from our side of the border and our perspective. it is impossible to do with organized crime. when weapons, with organized crime has rocket launchers or grenade launchers, it is impossible in which you have to do was to build on the weaponry. this is not what the local police are equipped for were prepared for. so it's something that needs to be discussed on our side of the border in our country and i am sure that we will be watching it very closely. i want to thank you for letting me share this experience. i think there's a lot of hope in

training, education and infrastructure, investment, business of course this is what we want. my city is the biggest producer of refined over and the world. mexico's biggest producer also in the country. we have very strong businesses. we have very big american business case. i think we need to protect those investments being made to protect her childhood in citizen and that strategy can only become within the coordination of the three levels of government on the mexican side and a binational effort on the american and mexican side. if we can speak the same language, if we can stop trusting each other, i think we can make the right advances that

we can reflect on our people and we can get back to business as you said, as soon as possible. thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you. i was a remarkable presentation. we will move to the q&a section of the program. i want the three mayors to turn on their might. you got it there? okay. the questions from u.s.,, please identify yourself and there will be a c-span might corroborate the front of your face. please don't grab it. it will do its job. you would like to start? >> here we go.

>> i'll ask this question. >> jeffrey watson from watson company. we heard earlier that summer presentation of a respectful businessman from mexico. he was pushing something i guess strongly about that is going on for as long as the last war we fought in particularly on our side. how much do you think that decriminalization of marijuana, for example what effect was happening with the negative side of the border. >> the question is about decriminalization if you'd like to jump in. >> i have problems having spent

30 years in law enforcement. i do have a problem with that and i think i was discussed in mexico in the last session of congress and it didn't really get anywhere. i think they know what the consequences are but the drug abuse. it seemed to me, decriminalizing drugs, [inaudible] that's my personal opinion. >> the information i've seen, although you hear these arguments about decriminalizing, on the other hand these to more and more different drugs and i think -- is not the right direction we would like to take. >> i think mexico does not have the infrastructure to deal with the jocks.

in order for that to happen, you would have medical attention and infrastructure that needs to deal with the people addicted to drugs and the effects that create. i think, from my cave, my very own dave to deal not a clear socially was such a big step. there are some who believe and it may believe that what create -- it would stop the violence. i don't think you will do it. not from my death. the country has the backdrop to do with addictions. >> next question. we also can take comments.

mayor curt. >> mayor john cook from el paso. from the panel, how important is it to present reform in his state of the city redress? >> it's extremely important. as i mentioned the opening, and, it has to be opened up and placed on track to not everybody knows in the united states of america, everybody today named, they have to know at the time has come to address the very serious issue and also tell the real story and the positive impact we have. we know that when you talk about billions of dollars being generated, hard-working people, people willing to do any type of job to support families, people want to work hard to support their case said they become engineers, scientists, this is the time.

i think it has to be perhaps carved in a positive way, saying this is the right thing. it's absolutely important for president obama. it's the right time to make those comments. >> mayor, occasionally a nice, good policy and good politics come together in the right time and that's exactly what's going on with immigration reform. it's been a very public policy for a long time. now the politics seem to be coming at the rate on that. it is imperative that the president of the united states make a clear case for a comprehensive approach them a clear case that he needs to be done now, no delays. i hope and pray in the republican response thereafter his speech, they make the case

for comprehensive immigration reform needs to be done and done now. most of the members know a bipartisan way that its time in the american people demand it and it's time to get the job done. >> if i could decide something. the mandate is very clear. latinas state-of-the-art integral part in the election and people went out to though. >> any other additional comments? >> i would agree with the comments that have been made. but i also would ask congress and the president not necessarily to take this into consideration. the people i discussed this with are not 100% looking for americans to cinch it. they just want to work in the united states. they love their country. they do not necessarily want to become u.s. citizen, that they want to work in the united states and that needs to be on the table.

>> respectfully -- [inaudible] >> yes, sir. >> i am with dhl and we do a lot of work cross-border movements and i appreciate your movements have not a alan bersin who understands firsthand how cross the border can be a challenge. one statement in a question. there's probably three areas of industry moving goods across the border for attention. once infrastructure and its land border, seaports and airports. anywhere there's an opportunity to move goods rapidly across. the secondary is for their success in circulation on either side of the border. the u.s. has a de minimis standard of $200 for low value

goods to that as quickly without all the customs and fees apply. mexico is 50. the u.s. is considering raising theirs to fight hunger. new mexico can raise theirs. we can take away transaction cost he was talking about for low value goods so we can move across borders easily. the third is trying to find ways in which the two sides can find harmonization and other program with the security of cargo in goods entrusted traders. the question is, a lot of that at the federal level, but the infrastructure is being driven into the ditch at the end of the day that what you see at the poorest. you're facing tight budgets. how can you really prioritize a van border projects, bridges, roads, airports to say this is not just a priority at the local community, the growing the business that we want on both

sides of the border. haida remake transportation infrastructure will priority along the border? >> thank you for your business. we want more, that the infrastructure obviously is a serious issue. there's also a time. time is money. i would say to you that also your officers are alerted the country. if we can sign at that level and start lobbying, we need to know what issues you have. we want to make sure that you get your business through safely and quickly and we need to know what kind of challenges he faced. if we know this challenges, we can help you fix it. we have continuous dialogue with partners. we have a great relationship. you also have to let us know

what those problems are so we can get them resolved. >> i would also look at that as an investment. you're right about shrinking budgets, but earlier in some of my discussions, we talked about opportunities. if we can recognize by investing the border infrastructure publish this to increase trade and more additional funds for both of my residence in the u.s. and mexico side, you hopefully will see a decrease in crime and other activities that the united states has to spend money on others. if you can see that investment and starts decreasing and the other part increases trade and good business, but i think it's worth it. >> the investment needs to be not just at the border, but the transportation infrastructure on both sides. you're absolutely right, these are virtual economic times for local government, but that means

we need to put our creative had signed an business goes on and people expect us to deliver for mayor cook and others. talk about public-private partnerships and opportunities to go along with that. road infrastructure, sidewalk infrastructure as part of spec for investors so we can read or send appropriately. this is a time where we all need to put in our creative pats on the financing side of it. that's a good mayor still look forward to returning the private sector to make it happen. >> anything from your perspective? >> i think the same thing. mexico has been working -- [inaudible] a very big investment of what the federal government is doing in order to shorten the time in getting it to the united states,

will be of course all the way to the radio. or also doing a first and working close with congress in order to have a budget for optimizing the freeway to i just spoke about the border in our state. one of the challenges that has to do with the border crossing infrastructure that needs to be resolved, i think mexico has been an effort that went through president calderon and now president pena nieto will see the combination coming all the way to durango.

so i think that's enough for being down there. one other thing i wanted to add, and i do want to commend for what they are doing and how this has to speed up the transfer of people coming from mexico in another country. i can say from my experience, sometimes at the immigration officer doing his job, have to be very theater. but i think it's going to be a very big tool for the optimization of the relationship in the next states and other countries. and it's a process that is

really working. i've been using a couple months now and it's something i do want to commend the american public. >> the border caucus will be introducing a bill on infrastructure investment in probably the next two weeks. so we can get into more details, but i think was interesting in the fiscal cliff negotiation, the president put on the table a $50 billion -- the ecology stimulus, but infrastructure investment of the country. one would assume given his commitment to end of up happening, one would assume there's some kind of thrusters increasing federal spending, but we want to collect that kind, federal investment in the framework laid out last year and the department of commerce, to permit a jury's recommendation

committed this administration in a way that hasn't been before, to make an infrastructure in the boardroom is your and i think there's an opportunity in the immigration debate to put the stuff on the table and meaningful way. the part of venture infrastructure we have now. we'll talk about this in bridges in the united states regime. we never contemplated the level of trade and travel happening to 22 countries now. but infrastructure has to be seen as part of the infrastructure we need to modernize me is that you does something we're working hard on here in the coming months. let me take one more. unfortunately, this has been a sensitive panel. i want to say before we go, they were going to be going to the bar afterwards. it is friday night. it's an enough euro. there's a lot to celebrate the missa please join us. does you on,.com, please. the runoffs come over and continue the conversation the

place remains to be happening. they take one more for you have it. >> is a hammer computer situation. we actually support the border protection. i actually have a question for mayor stanton. he mentioned some of the divisive policies at the state and county level. how have you or how are you combating that in order to bring business back to the city and the state? >> thank you for the question. high-profile position as mayor of phoenix, largest city in the state. trying to send a message to the three. divisiveness. we tried decisiveness. it's not good for the business cycle in our community. so mayor rothschild and i have traveled twice already on trade missions to mexico. they're going to go back over and over again. i want to send a message that relationship is critically

important to our community, that were focusing on the right things. economic development, jobs, education. the right public policy for state has hurt us in terms of mexican tourism, which is big, big business in the state of arizona and we need to get to approve tourism we saw before, conventions, et cetera. we need to get back to where i was an expanded go beyond that. i use every bully pulpit i can to send a message that to the extent the impression has been left, it doesn't affect the real values of real arizonans. we love the diversity in our city and our state. we understand ultimately our diverse population of proximity to mexico is one of our great economic advantages as long as we harness the population can take full advantage.

the truth is mexico is by far our largest trading partner. we are way behind texas and california. we've got some catching up to do. i plan to do that catching up. we want to take full advantage. president fox in phoenix recently made a pretty profound argument, which as we think of our relationship in the desert southwest is the bilateral relationship. over the long haul we have to think of her as those as a single economic unit in competition including the asian world a big stick nearshore into the huge economic advantage to phoenix and tucson and the other cities in the state of arizona. again, we have to get not just supposed to strike, and the structure right, but ultimately the politics are to fully take advantage of the economic opportunities associated with our proximity and relationship,

friendship with the state of mexico. we got some work to do. >> but a run code down the line with finalists before we go. >> thank you for having us. when you think positive, you get positive results. there's challenges in our cities, but i'm back to see people are embracing this movement for comprehensive immigration reform. it's the right time, the right thing to do. thank you. >> you are not aware of this. mexico is there research his partner. when you have that kind of opportunity, we need to take advantage of anything we can and help our friends and the states of the border in recognizing that the united states to sell, mexico does well and vice versa and that's how we can lift a lot

of these problems you are seen increasing on problems we don't want to see. hopefully they'll decrease of better trade, better opportunities. >> we have a land of hope and president pena and obama in order to solve the challenges, and whether to solve problems. we think that there is a lot that many of us can do. of course the united states becomes one of the most important part earns and our prosperity and well-being and hope invested in this partnership. we hope that it becomes something basic and important. so i think there's a lot that we can do. there's a lot of things we can

work together and of course the challenges involved. >> let me close with two thoughts. first of all, want to thank our panelists and also christian ramos who works night and day as a tucson native with relatives in el paso and so it's important. samantha wyatt who works hard and are true to panel. i want to close with echoing something alan bersin talked about, the way that we've come to this in the way of achiness is that this is really about who we've become as a country the 21st century. at most 10% of our population in the united states is of mexican descent. that's an enormous change from when i was born we are hurtling towards maturity, minority country. that's an extra vote was 2040 or

2045, whatever the year they were going to crossover. a lot is being driven by immigration from latin america and mexico. what it means is that a pragmatic way that the cross-border relatives, friends jumping to see cousin sisters more and more people of mexican descent and is mexico becomes -- gross and mexico, to me to get this right. but i think about the next agenda for the president of the united states and latin america, i believe the most important part of that isn't cuba, isn't understood. it's getting comprehensive immigration reform issues right here. if we can't do a perfect our neighbor, how can we do agree with anybody else on the rest of the hemisphere? to challenges in front of his are not just reforming immigration in a way that meets the needs of our modern economy,

desolate awakened system of values in recent times, but reimagining the border not a sin and place, but a place that facilitates, and it's in the middle come in at the end. we joked in a previous event that we need a different word. the word order does it represent what this thing is between our two countries. it's not an end stuff. the place of incredibly tvd and part of the problem is we have an infrastructure that's as old as those sold bridges that we need to modernize and give tools for countries to take advantage of the incredible economic opportunity to ensue in the next generation. free final data points. one, crime on the u.s. side, one of the things alan said is how much her strategies for. i'll pass that was the safest, largest city.

i've been getting this wrong on tv. safest large city across from a city that is not so safe. second is the net migration between the united states and mexico of undocumented immigrants has gone to zero. we now have the demographic changes, sine completely different undocumented migrants a year. we've got this under control. this is not out of control. i've been on television was seen to opponent say millions and millions of people they have been true. it's not true today. finally come the third statistic of course unforgiven because it's a friday afternoon and it's been a long week -- the third statistic is something to do with trade here the final statistic is 40% and the president last year started

initiating a plan to radically increase human legal travel between the united states and mexico. it's increased 40% in the first year of the new program. it's an economic driver. help security, josé macias together. obsess incredible dynamism between families that we need to make this region vital, accelerating all that and it's had a huge economic impact. the loss of mexican tourism has been financial insignificant. the administration stood a. so i want to say, we have shown a smart policy, more money, we can make a difference. we have a great record to build on, more to do and that's what we can be doing together sere croissant. hence, everybody, very much.

[applause] back to >> chicago mayor rahm emanuel talk about politics surrounding

gun violence. they spoke the day before president upon the detailed his proposals in the white house anti-gun from a task force hosted by the university of chicago institute of politics, this is an hour and 15 minutes. [applause] >> thank you are very much for being here. and then this business a long time, half a century in their occasions in american life group unissued colonizes the country and it seems to me as we begin this year by guns, violence in the place in american minds have suddenly electrified the country. it's a discussion on the main street of the small town i grew up in the great plains of america in south dakota and montana, the big cities are not your chicago, but los angeles

and houston and dallas and other places. we are in a kind of dark way a unique society in terms of the place of violence in american life and especially the place of guns. now what you should know something about me. i've grown up with guns. akamai first gun when i was 10 years old. it was next written nearly import ritual for me for my father to give him a first 22 it's been my family and long, long time. hunting is a very important passage for me in the continues this day. i have a collection of guns in their ancient montana were rahm has been. i'm not a big game hunter, but they have guns that can be in that. i'm primarily what they call a shotgun or, a bird hunter. you eat what you kill it when

you find them, shoot them. but in the midst of the culture a long, long time and i find myself in the journalistic role at the intersection in america because i know the kinds of weapons were talking about and i also know the consequences of pulling the trigger and what happens when you do. moreover, when i left the great plains is a journalist, i immediately went to the urban areas. alma, atlanta, los angeles and washington d.c. in the course of my career, i've been utterly faxed by our inability as a civil society, a nation that takes such great pride in the rule of law to have someone come to grips with guns in thailand. before you begin this discussion, i'll tell you one very personal and it do. three days before the sandy hook

shooting us in denver, colorado on personal business and writing to the denver suburbs and i passed into a rural, colorado and saw the sign and thought to myself, as journalists often do, this just disappeared from our landscape. it happened not that long ago in which a young man who appears to be utterly to range, went into a movie theater and began shooting people with an assault weapon. and it went away. it was not part of the presidential debate coming apart at the fabric of our lives, not to do the diet. so on that wednesday night, i e-mailed the producer of the "meet the press" show coming up on that sunday in which they would be talking about big ideas america needs to be thinking about. and i said, you should put shooting at the top of the list. we have been through aurora, the

sikh temple, the oregon shopping mall. this was before we got to sandy hook and newton. we had a time of absolute carnage in america to say nothing of what was going on in the city of chicago in most urban areas around america. 506 homicides in chicago alone. so we had a lot of issues before this is retired now to the 21st century. but it seems to me we have no more issue at the top of the agenda and to decide who we are and what kinds of cultures who want to pass on to our children. and the use of weapons, the place of violence and their ability to deal with this in some kind of irrational passion. can't think of a better group of people to talk to that all may

come as a great quote to have followed you here today in this important to me to make a trip from new york to chicago and i have to go back tomorrow because i feel so strongly about it. let me begin with our two political figures here. are we headed? do you think did change things? >> yes and a small know and here's why. yes, you're at a tipping point. there is no doubt we have a better discussion and greater concentration. when i was the point person for president clinton and passing the brady bill in the late part of november 93 and the assault weapon ban in the house in the spring of 94, those two those are very focused on criminal access. president clinton's legislation post-columbine did not pass. so the notion that everybody should rely on the energy and

force of newton, i would caution not to do that. it's galvanized the country to have an honest conversation and look internally and had a serious conversation. but the assault weapon ban was done without a columbine would have been in virginia. i do believe just in the last four years on the loudspeakers of politics would have been there has made all of us a discussion that is sitting on the sideline to be focused to introduces legislation or package and decide what legislatively he's going to do by executive order. but we are at a tipping point to have a discussion that's been postponed, delayed. but my small flashing yellow light of caution is anything to laugh time we really had success, which goes back to 93 and 94, those are pretty columbine.

his entire package of five. spin a congressman, you had a reading from the nra and he voted for reducing the waiting time from three days to one bag. do you think read a tipping point, that there will be some kind of a seismic change? >> yeah, i do. since the topic is politics and then to add that a lot of people widely credited in 1883 crandell for the reason republicans took the majority for the first time in 40 years. so it really has a lot to do with the politics. i'm very grateful to be at the university of chicago. just another know. only to chicago which sent and called the partisan bipartisan with david axelrod and rahm emanuel. but that's a whole different story. >> we had to come back as bipartisan and this issue.

>> if you go so far to the right, come back to the left. but i think the conversation has changed since the unannotated disco stu i don't care whether it's begun discussion or pistol discussion, at this moment in time you have republican and i happen to be one of them with the nra that would be more than happy that a lot of republicans are more than happy to begin to have the conversation about guns. but it has to be the right conversation and it can be one of the situations where there were some people that don't want anybody to have any kind of gun. so there can't be an overreach. public enemy's political settings is one party or the other sort of field service and say i got a favorite word of god and country bottom, so that everything i want. if you think about the shootings as you referenced, all but one were committed by a disturbed

white male in their late teens or 20s. were not talking about being named disturbed white men. and so common has to be the right conversation that actually makes a difference and make sure that it reduces violent. >> let me ask the academy representatives who are here. i'm not using this in a derisive way from the ivory tower. if you look at the pace of our society and the 21st century as the champions as we see ourselves as the rule of law as ronald reagan would like to see, a city shining on the hill, what befuddles you most about as you look at this debate about guns and violence? >> i think one of the most interesting things for me to see with the discussion is the idea that comes up over and over again about futility, efforts to

regulate guns. i think one statistic that almost everybody knows about guns in america as we have about 300 million people and about 300 million guns in at least lots of people to think anything we do in the regulatory side is futile. i'm actually not that pessimistic myself and this is one of the themes that comes up in the public discussions as we move forward after the president announces tomorrow for two reasons. one thing important to keep in mind is that they are a very concentrated and very set in terry. 10% of people in the united states on about 80% of the guns. they're mostly middle class middle aged people in rural areas and they hold onto their kind for a long time. on the other hand, most of the people engaged in crime are teens and young adults. most criminal careers are short.

one of the things that needs is there's always a new generation of young people who are trying to solve the problem fresh is getting their hands on guns. i think one way you could dig about the challenge here is the situation here is a good thing about the united states be a giant bathtub filled with 300 billion guns. we don't need to worry about the entire tub. we just need to worry about the train and a few million guns changing it every year in trying to divert them away. but one thing i want to mention for the conversation right now is we have a bunch of fuss at the federal level a bunch of states trying to innovate on their own. one of the things important to keep in mind here as well is aside from hawaii, no state is an island and every state is doing on the gun regulation side is relevant for what had been

other states as well. city of chicago, state of illinois have among the more restrictive gun laws in the country. my family lives in new jersey. .. we're going to be as good as our

national legislation, and if california wants to exceed it for whatever reason, they'll go farther. the national discussion, and one of the priorities in the legislation tomorrow, and need to get bipartisanship on it, when the background checks were set up -- what happens hat gun shows and everything else, 40% of the guns traded or bought are not covered with any background five-day waiting period. that's not a loophole. that an exemption. that has to be dealt with. so what happens in indiana doesn't flood the city of chicago, cook county. >> needs to be a national -- has to be federal preemption. the patchwork of states or cities is not effective. i went to the university of michigan because the drinking age was 18, and it was 21 in ohio. >> that explains a lot now. [laughter]

>> and was still a republican. >> you can't have a hot spot. >> what do you think the chances are some of the state laws will withstand the federal test in the judiciary? for example, new york, just passed in very stringent laws, in which, for example, mental health workers are required to report to authorities if they are suspicious of someone who may be a danger to society, and they've cracked down on the place of assault weapons and automatic weapons in the state of new york. it's a second amendment of the federal constitution. is that going to withstand the kind of test that a lot of people will make legal challenges too? >> i think it's pretty hard to know at this point what will stand up to supreme court review and what won't. we just had a ruling from second

circuit court of appeals in chicago that the illinois ban on concealed carry is unconstitutional under the supreme court's recent second amendment decisions. a federal court -- federal appeals court in new york took exactly the opposite view. if you go back and read the supreme court decisions in heller and mcdonald, the two really important ones, they suggest there's a fair amount of latitude for the democratic branches of government to regulate guns, but they also put a definite boundary on how far those can go. so an outright ban on handguns like we had in chicago, like washington, dc had, that goes to far. whether the second amendment right goes as far as extending the right of self-defense that the supreme court found you have in the home to when you leave the home, is another question

entirely. and i think ultimately probably the -- what happens in congress is not going to be greatly affected, not going to be greatly constrained by what the supreme court will allow. i think the court on things like regulation of particular types of guns, waiting periods, background checks and things like that, is -- will probably be willing to allow that sort of thing. >> i want you all to know i have been sending notes to my wife. those of you who are getting here in time, i know this is a big appointment for you every day. you may not see the news, but chuck todd had a report on what the president is going recommend tomorrow and then i thought i would share that with you. the universal background check, tops the list. prohibition of high-capacity ammunition magazines.

prohibition of anything above ten rounds. 0 there were 30 rounds in the magazines in newton, some type of assault weapons ban. and antitraffic and legislation to impose stiffer penalties on gun sellers, and the source says obama will not announce 19 executive actions but those he will choo is prosecuting people who failed background checks, 71,000 did that last year. lied on their background check. more work on mentality health, school security, although not arming guards. and'm examining video games. that a whole other situation we'll get into in a minute. what do you think of the chance office these getting through the body you just left, congressman? >> it's really wild talking

about overreach, and let me talk about the democrats for just a sac. because hari reid talks about the assault weapon ban and the chance office his being able to get through the united states senate which is controlled by the democratic majority. he said it ain't going to happen. he said look at the red state senators who are up for re-election in north carolina, or out west, or down south, wherever they're from. and that what i'm talking not terms of overreach. if this was something close the loophole on gun shows, catch the 40% of people who are going into gun shows and buying them who are personally disturbed and cash that. d.c. said you can't heave a gun unless crowd register it, but then they wouldn't let you register. so that's an effective you can't do it.

and that does go too far. so if it's a commonsense -- i don't know why ten. ten doesn't seem like some magic number to me. and again are, for the gun owners, sounds like something somebody made up, ten. so i think the president's executive order can be accepted by the republican party, and if they did the incremental approach of background checks and closing down 'nutty people buying guns you could get that through. >> is that what you meant by clearing the table of the small items and then getting to the big items? >> yes, in '93 -- in the brady bill of '93 and the assault weapon -- the brady bill was a five-day waiting period. the assault weapons ban was about the guns of shows of gang bang -- guns of choice of gang bangers, all about criminals. my view is whatever you can do with executive order, take care of it. that not as good a legislation

but if you can do it, do it, and make this focus on both the criminal acts -- as it stands, both courts, also marshal public opinion, as you get away from that or move a. from the center of gravity on that, you stat -- start to get into the politics that can get this jammed up literally. not to argue with steve but i will. there's nothing magical about ten. and i will say this. we did a forum -- there's federal legislation today that relates to shotgun clips that are ban no more than three at any one time. we are more -- it's a federal legislation that covers alabama, mississippi, southern illinois. so willing to good to three in the clip. so we're there.

but that said -- the clip does change. the assault clip changes the type of gun. it dramatically changes it. two, i do think a comprehensive background check that deals with criminal activity would be essential to closing the loophole. the seller pieces you can. i think he has to direct the attorney general as a measure of each u.s. attorney, what they're doing on gun prosecutions. we have a u.s. attorney position here in the city of chicago that opened up. our gun prosecutions in the city, compared to other utah attorneys, lags other ones. there should be a standard and they should be measured and have to report, and that is within the executive authority because you have gun laws that sit on the books and do not get prosecuted, while we're adding other ones.

i think they should hold the u.s. attorneys to a standard. that something the president can do. >> here's the kind of passion on each side of the debate. let me just do something about this audience. how many of you have ever fired a gun? more than i would have expected. how many of you own a gun? fewer, obviously. how many of you feel strongly about your right to own that gun without condition? a few. >> let me share with you what stan mckrystal, effectively a lifetime special forces officer of the ute. united states, he was the man who lost his job as a result of intemperate remarks made by his staff when he was running the war in afghanistan. second generation military man.

i think roma -- rahm agrees to me -- >> a great national asset. >> here's what he said on television last week. i spent a career carrying either an m-16 or m-4 carbine, the m-4 fires two 23 caliber rounds, about that thick. which is -- this is how they talk in gun business -- 5.66 three millimeter at 3,000 feet per second. when it hit the human body the effects were devastating. it was designed for that. that's what soldiers ought to carry. i personally don't think there's any need for that kind of weaponry on the streets, particularly around the schools of america. we have to take a serious look. i understand everyone's desire to have whatever they want but we have to protect our children, our police, our population. serious action is necessary. sometimes we talk about very limited actions on the edges. i just don't think that's enough.

that is what he said on a morning show. then in the modern media culture there were a lot of responses, including this one. always anonymously. i big to differ with general mcchrystal that an ar15 rifle should only be'sed by the military. what if we find ourselves in a second civil war to recover our lost constitutional rights. to we stand a chance with rifled and perhaps come bound snows general mcchrystal seems to forget out country was form in incentury rex. heaven forbid we have to repeat history we must have resources to win, and then another response, it is the constitution, mr. mcchrystal. i trust the men that wrote it a great deal more than you. what if the battlefield becomes your own backyard. >> if i could jump from there. i think the stuff you just read

captures some of the incoherence of this whole debate. i think what both opponents of assault weapons and makers of assault weapons -- i use that term in quotes, because it's not a technical term -- is to greatly exaggerate how different they are from other guns, and they're actually not. what distinguishes an assault weapon as it was defined in the 1994 law, is not how patz can fire, it's not how lethal the ammunition is. it's not how accurate it is. it's mostly cosmetic things like whether it has a bayonet mound, a pistol grip. they look like military weapons. if you're talking about how they actually function, they're no different from all sorts of ordinary hunting rifles. they're semi automatic.

often referred as to automatic weapons. they're not. there's a huge difference between what the military has and what civilians can guy. it may look like what the army has but it doesn't do what those guns do. and that's what makes this, for somebody like me, this whole debate, very frustrating. you spend a lot of time trying to disabuse people of miscop senses that opponent -- misconceptions that opponents of assault weapons and people on the other side seem very attached to. >> steve, i have a lot of -- i hang out with people with weapons. none of us have 30 round magazines, and i fired on a semi automatic basis, the kinds of assault weapons we're talkberg -- and they can be constructed in a hundred different ways because there's kits that allow you put things together -- . >> i know people who have ar-15s

with 30 round magazines and they use them for target shooting. the number of people who get killed with assault weapons, compared to the number of murders we have in this country, is very small. you're far more likely, far more likely to be killed by somebody with a knife than somebody with an assault weapon. 80% of the gun homicides in this country are committed with handguns, which are not affected -- >> would you concealed the worst of the carnage have come with assault weapons? >> that's obviously a factual matter true. the question is, if you take those guns away, are you depriving people who want to do that amount of damage of weaponry that would be equally effective for their awful purposes, and the answer is, you're not. there are plenty of guns that were available under the assault weapons ban that would be available under the proposed one that would be equally or more

destructive than the weapons that they used in those mass shootings. >> before we -- a couple people want to comment on this. let me just ask you. how old are you? >> how old am i? 58. >> you and i are -- i'm older. but -- [laughter] >> more than i like to acknowledge, by the way. >> an unfair question. >> in the course of our lifetime, and as gun owners and people who are aware of what is going on with weaponry in america, would you also acknowledge that there has been this kind of introduction of those kinds of weapons in a way that we didn't have them before and didn't feel thed in to have them before? -- feel the need to he e -- to have them before? >> the other question was easier. >> the 58 question is easier. >> there are lots of things that we didn't have when you and i were young. these many decades ago.

>> not when we were young, but if we liked guns and wanted to use them and they were part of our life and part of the culture which we grew up, about hunting and target shooting and all of those other things, they satisfied our need for them. but however you describe an assault weapon and the plat for an assault weapon, which can be modified, has taken over, as you know, a lot of the gun enthusiasts, has it not? >> i mean, they're selling a lot of them right now. >> right. and more every day. i'm sorry. >> 99.5% of those guns are never going to be used for anything but hunting, target shooting, home protection, kept in a place in case of a home invasion. very, very, very few of them are ever going to be used for criminal purposes. >> did you want to say something? >> i want to say this whole business about what people are using today, that's how mitt

romney lost the election, the whole horse and bayonet thing. i think we're not using flint locks anymore, and as the president said we're not using bayonets anymore so it's different weaponry, the other thing that is missing here, i think -- when i talk about overreach -- that nutty e-mail you read, and general mcchrystal's observation, people always say why do you need an assault weapon? nobody needs an assault weapon. but that's really not the issue if you read the cases. why does somebody in this country need to have a trial by jury? why does somebody who robbed a prank need have the fourth amendment protection of having a search warrant issued before you search system nobody needs those things, but the issue is that they're enshine shrined in the constitution, so you have to work with what the supreme court said and the supreme court said the right to bear arms -- it's

an individual right. the militia business is crap. but you can have -- reasonable restrictions, so legislators have to find out the rome restrictions that saves lives. and i go back to 30 rounds. i think the taking of one human life is a horrible thing by a crazy person and i don't think you have to say it's bad because three people got killed or ten people. i think anybody who uses other done. >> let me ask you a question. part of what i did was to frame that -- i say, this is the response to general mcchrystal, who has lift his -- lived his life with those winds. his response, we need those weapons to hold off a tyrannical government. >> ted kaczynski in jail wrote that e-mail. that anonymous writer -- you should ban blog nice anonymous business makes people bolder and

stay tuned thing. >> my difference on that is i don't think it's as much a minority opinion as you think it is. i don't. >> look, since the deal with -- to deal with what steve said, first and foremost, why i think -- i think at the federal level you need a comprehensive background check and a five-day waiting period whenever the point of sale is. whether it's a handgun, -- uzi, ak-47. i want a comprehensive background check because i don't want to have any criminal access to those guns. that's what a federal piece of legislation, and i think when it comes to response to what the court said, that would pass constitutional muster and pass the political test to build a bipartisan majority, and that would tighten up a lot of lose ends that every law enforcement officer, regardless of urban or

rural -- would want today. number two steve, you're correct in the sense of the attributes. but the uzi is not defined as an assault weapon, semi automatic, was designed as a mission for the battlefield, with sight distances now out on the streets in any urban area, and last week here in the city of chicago, because of good police work, we pulled an assault weapon off the street, wasn't used. it was good police work and doesn't belong here. when you chang the assault magazine, whether it's 10, 9, 15, you change capacity. i agree with you how we define the attributes, be truthful, also a way to pass legislation. we had an flemings because it was required to get the bill done and relates to imports. that doesn't change the facts. so my view is, what are we doing to stop criminal access, whether it's, quote, the former

congressman, crazy white guys who are ailent nateed, or on the streets of chicago. it's criminal access and the type of guns they use can, we can credit a bipartisan majority, and not far from here is a great hospital. the university of chicago. unfortunately gets used too often because we have a lot of people getting access to guns that shouldn't happen here. so die think that's how we have to do this, and we can do it responsibly for those who want to go hunting, go hunting. what we have to do to protect our residents, whether urban, suburban or rural. >> if i can i'd like to move this on. i don't want to just concentrate on guns. i think that's just a come opinion it in of it. -- component of it. we have a whole other issue and that's the mental health and how we respond to that and how we're alert to it. is there a culture of violence

and our video games? every one of these shooters has shown up in combat gear that looks like somebody you'll see in a combat game of some kind of video. do you have any feelings about that, about the impact of that on the -- if you will, on -- >> i doubt that has -- >> on the culture of violence? >> you've seen an expansion in the use of video games, gotten more violent and more military. at the same time you have had a very sharp decline in your homicide rate nationally. when i was a kid, there was talk about movies were too violent. it was driving people crazy. that's why the murder rate was going up. i dope think you could find any connection over time between -- don't think you can find any connection between what is in the media and how people behave. the same media that suppose held makes americans violent doesn't seem to have that effect on people in japan or europe. they watch the same movies, play

the same video games. it's not -- if you you have a culture that is basically not violent, then it's not going to make you violent. if you have a culture that has a good deal more violence tendencies than they do, it's not going to make a difference. that's not the real problem. that not where the impulses are coming from. >> i was going to pick up on the violence in media and mental health point. so, there is some suggestiontive lab evidence and literature suggesting that expose sure to violent media in the lab study increases aggression as they can measure it in a lab setting without getting in trouble. it's hard to know exactly what that means for actual violent behavior on the out, but the other thing that social science research has shown, which sort of complicates this a little bitting are is that violent video games and movies have a counteracting effect, which is

to incapacitate people. when violent movies come out, crime rate goes down because everybody is spending high-risk evening times in the move the theater. the same thing for video games. the incapacitation effect outweighs -- >> we need to have one coming out every day. >> what we don't know is whether you make the games and the movies a little less violent, whether people will spend less time engaging. it's a little complicated on the violence side. >> in fairness in the columbine case, there was a rush to judgment about the impact of violence video games on the young shooters, and then more detailed studies what drove them, one of them was more psycho pathic than people knew at the time and he drove the other shooter to become part of what turned out to be his lethal posse. so the larger issue, it seems to me, is taking all the component parts of violence in the media,

a country that has had a lot of violence in its borders, in the winning of the west and what goes on in the urban areas, the availability of guns, and the kind of celebration sometimes of what happens in the popular media about people getting eliminated. are we unique in the world? and our acceptance of that kind of cultural violence and the acceptance of it in our midst and our civil society, given all we have been witness to in the last 25-30 years of these mass shootings shoot at a variety of places -- 1984, rahm was probably still in the eighth grade but i remember being in san francisco when fit mondale was being nominated and at the san diego mcdonald's, 21 people were killed in a mass shooting. these have become kind of routine in this country to a

greater degree than they are anywhere else in the western world. >> one thing to keep in mind -- the united states is not an unusually violent country. that an important point to keep in mind. when you look at the united states and care compare to the united kingdom, we do not have lots more assaults or robberies than places like the unite kingdom. the place where we're different is respect to our homicide rate. makes us very different and the difference between the united states and the united kingdom, almost all of it is driven by gun homicides. i am not very enthusiastic about letting my eight-year-old daughter watching violent video game, but i think the gun piece of this really is the most important thing that makes us so different from other industrialized countries. >> the point i would make with respect to that, is that there is a big difference between homicides here and homicide abroad that you don't see in

other crime cat gores. also a great deal of variation of homicide among the 50 state that seem to bear no relation at all to gun laws or the rev lens -- prevalence of guns, and i think vermont has probably the loosest gun laws in the country, hat one of the lowe's murder rate -- lowest murder rates. illinois has relatively strict gun laws and a relatively high murder rate. >> distinguishing a few thing there it's true that state and local gun laws do not correlate very strongly with gun crime, or with homicide rates overall, and i think that partly because of the problem i mentioned before, about the pourousness of state borders. the research shows in places where are there more guns there's a higher homicide rate. >> the question is, do people get gun in response to fears about high homicide rates or do they buy gun and then kill more people?

that's what,les i understand the social science research, never been definitively established. we have particularly in the south, a general sense that people are responsible for their own self-protection, and that they need weaponry to do it, and there's also a higher murder rate. higher violence rate in the south. at it very hard to distinguish what causes what in that situation. >> can i -- we're trying to -- we can't isolate, i would argue -- first time i've heard this research that crime goes down when a violent video -- never heard that or seen that. but that said, to try to isolate this, i think, is slightly wrong let me say one thing. pre'94 crime bill, you had a 30-year run of crime going up and violence going up in in the city. james q wilson, a socialollist

said, we'll have to get used to this fast. that policy passed in '94, which began the decline in crime and violence, had a comprehensive approach about more police on the street doing community policing, getting guns off the street, like the assault weapon ban in combination with the brady bill. ...

afterschool programs give kids a positive reinforcement nkk street. city think of this comprehensive fashion and take a look at each aspect, guidelines by themselves, if anybody introduces legislation, that in another of the salt homicides of the problem is not going to happen. is it a necessary come on up to stopping violence in our society? absolutely. but everything that has to, please, which i don't also do a part, but the biggest thing to help his afterschool programs. positive reinforcement given an alternative. whatever the combine is.

that's the biggest way to have been in pack of notes in the society. >> the assault weapons ban because my son a lot was with janet reno on the bill. came up with the concept of safe schools, healthy communities, which was then holistic approach in which he got the community involved, not just play some enforcement basis working community in trying to develop some kind of overarching approach to the community. before we go to questions from the audience, let me ask each of you to give me time if he will come a summary going on from here, from this day forward. two years from now, if you had to design a kind of ideal reaction to what we've been through the last year, would you see this just is an anomaly or reduce it as something that's going to require us to be much

more due about access to weapons, the culture in the place of the governing or will it be no different. >> i hope this is a moment to do a variety of thing as the mayor suggested to combat this problem. there are two things i hope to come out of this. if i could only pick two things that would have been in place two years from now, i am with the mayor to closing the idea of exemption seems huge. in terms of making progress, that would be like winning the super bowl or the world series and the end he a final thought one. >> what about private guns sales? >> that is the ballgame to expand background checks.

the other theme that i myself think it's a huge priority, if i could add one more thing is increased battery support for line for smith. this is just a hugely important and underappreciated in the discussion on how to reduce gun violence. i think in the near term, some of the biggest impact were going to have been moving the needle in producing gun violence is increased on for senators to crack down on unearned markets and trying to get the courts to support the police and cracking down a legal carrying. the whalley toulon person in the united states right now is very disproportionately chirping. cities cannot and budget deficits. what happens when you something like the great recession quite cities all over the country having to scale back because they can't run budget deficits.

exactly which you don't want to do a scaled-back local employment during the economic downturn. this is a huge thing. the department of justice program provides grants to local law enforcement to hire more police. the program could easily be 20 or 30 times its billion dollars a year size. it would be one of the most productive things the federal government could do to make progress in this area. >> we agree. i think what the professor just outlined in the latter part of what he said is go after illegal gun markets. were talking about people balanced or selling guns to felons, people engaged in gun sales that are illegal under any interpretation of the law and go after criminal people with

records who are carrying guns illegally. that's been done in cooperation in chicago. i think the important thing is to find ways to go after the criminals here. but i'm afraid we're going to do a thing sake the assault weapons ban, limits on magazine is still do things that have an effect exclusively on people who are law-abiding gun owners and the waste time and effort on things that have very little payoff. >> congressman. >> closing the gun show loophole is a no-brainer that both parties though not. let's been left out of this discussion is untreated mental illness. until we figure out how to reverse what happened in the 80s when they open the doors to mental institutions and have people wandering the streets and

in some instances not taking prescribed medications. w. can afford the medications. into it come to grips with that, the professor's point not to be real partisan, but all of these issues get better if the united states congress and the president of the united states had the courage to do with the fiscal cliff in the budget deficit and everything else because the pop cops program, wonderful program. see i got you a hundred thousand bucks. the problem is after three years the police out of several onto the payroll of the city and estimates always there strapped, they're not happy to have them after three years. we have to figure out how to pay for all this business and we can't pay for the mental health services and labor help inhibit

services bill required by some of the people committing these crimes if we don't have the money. and so, america needs to face face up to problems. >> even if we solve that problem, do you think there'd be common ground within the congress to do something, to go back? >> absolutely. i will close with very open to the temptation today this very divided nation, there's no purple anymore. the temptation is to say everybody's talking about the issues and connecticut. this is our moment and you go too far rather than finding to do a half of america, it's a republican idea they reject it. this democratic, house rejects it say america can only come together. this is a big issue. so america's leaders need to be in lockstep and say this is what

we think is going to solve the problem. >> first of all, i believe this is going to be your original question. the original question. we went to look back a year and something is going to have gotten done. comprehensive background checks on all points of sale, be they gun shows or whatever needs to be done. coin-operated united states congress will do too much. they're going to step united states congress is going to do too much. it's not going to happen. how quickly we forget. >> rest assured that the congress about to name an important post office is not going to go too far. the real worry is the moment can get lost, which is why when you

tax through companies got to think about the supreme court, was allegedly doable and what you need to get done in those three don't all line up and you can't lose this element in time because you eventually to the supreme court to get the two. the most important thing you need for the law enforcement community is the limitation on the assault clips. that to me -- you have to lend those pieces have been focused on not because you've got to see it through to the supreme court, not just congress. i will say the cops program passed in 1994 under bill clinton for 100,000 police officers on community policing and it's an essential program that has been scaled back his tardive having designed the program, they have to also prove

how they're going to keep the cop on the program. not a cd. >> to add to that, how do you keep a national dialogue going? how does it just not become a street fight in the house of representatives between the nra? >> i'm not sure you're going to avoid a fight. then they say this. you talk about where you grew up. there's a difference between the city of chicago, suburbs and the city chicago and what goes on in montana where you have a home. we have to respect the cultural difference. but there's a lot of people who understand why my view is respectful of cultural differences and geographic differences, keeping it focused on criminal accesses re-create the partisanship and break down the red and blue areas.

the president plays a key role as everybody does in keeping this a focused debate and not losing once to get legislation done. i don't think that's going to happen. >> to do the doable, i would go to the five or six senators and say, what can you do? about the votes are not going to get it done. editor to mark warner who sign up for election, but i go to the woman in north carolina and say what can you do to get this thing done? i'm sorry, i don't know her name. last night's >> is. he thinks it's a foreign body. >> they keep the temperature a. they're all taking naps. last back >> what do you think about the nra position?

>> i think if you're going to put their resources into coming up with that many armed security people, that would be the best place to put it. schools are surprising as they may be one of the safest place kids can be. if you are going to hire 50,000 cops are fined 50,000 volunteers from other spaces where they could have a much better impacting school. >> congressman, what do you consider going too far in the attempts to limit gun violence? to own guns as opposed to the consequences to society? >> too far but i was talking about is something that can't get if you invest in the united states senate in 218 in the u.s. house of representatives and assign it to law by the president and ruled to be constitutional by five justices in the united states supreme court.

what we do sadly today in politics today in politics and i'm really offended which he said about the congressman. what we tend to do is try and develop the next campaign theme rather than solve the problem. what's missing in america today on guns and everything else are people saying what can we do, what can you take from, what do i need to get it done and get out of town rather than making it a campaign issue to send your mail to send us money so we can get the other guy because he wasn't tough enough or weaken us on the other issue. >> chicago has a huge problem with the legally acquired weapons. it's very sad you need the federal government to come in crack down alcohol and firearms on the tax issue. if we can bust them on mac, drug dealers and others go a long way towards disarming.

does that make sense? >> i agree with mayor daley. the federal government can play as usual. the dea, drug enforcement agents be over here. u.s. attorney do something different. i think this has to be a central focus for u.s. attorney and the federal government to be more integrated. one example where we in different parts of the city, and go would, grand crossing because we get additional resources with the law enforcement agencies to get to see homicide and shootings. so how the federal government plays a role from the enforcement side, if i'm interpreting what rachel nuevo laredo with the violation of tax

laws, our coupon for lack of a better example, yes. >> professor, how a fact you do you believe gun buyback or grants could be before seeing more local and state government sponsoring them? >> the research community and gun violence issue is pretty contentious, just like politics. the one thing i most researchers agree on this gun buyback programs are not very effective things to do. the tendency to turn in for 100 bucks or whatever would normally pay for these things is like a 75-year-old widow turning in her recent husbands world war ii service revolver. one of the things they can be super affected if something superintendent mccarthy highlighted when he was in new

york city, which is suffering people rewards for information about somebody else having an illegal gun. that is a promising idea nsa potential to get the same conference effects affects that she carried new york city without having to do six or 700,000 every year. >> rahm, let me ask you a question. from the country talking about social movements from the ground up his mothers against strong trading. drinking and driving is to be socially acceptable. most members of my generation did a slow. in maryland housewife change the rules. change the laws. now that the newton parents are beginning to speak out and organize themselves. do you think i will have an effect in the long term?

>> i'll give you three types, whether it's drinking and driving, seatbelt, smoking in all the consequences that come from smoking. you could see clearly value system and culture, values and laws and i think when we were talking earlier why i think were going to be different. i don't just mean the legislation passed. we pester him on the progress being your question. a little more about who we are, what we are a bit wobbly want to be. it would be the mobilization that comes out of this. >> what about the nra and how it can, if you will to some degree retool itself so it's not just a polarizing instrument that becomes part of a dialogue in a constructive fashion that goes

beyond knocking down. until the long, long time over the years and i can tell you outrageous stories about how they treated people who even suggests they want to take a look at the place for guns in america and unleash nothing less than that. anybody who raises these questions. >> what you can do about the nra. the nra can be valuable because they have expertise on technical issues. >> is a much larger base than most people realize. >> if they were willing to bring the knowledge to bear in a productive way, they could be helped. unfortunately, the nra is not interested in appealing beyond its base. what is interested in doing is that they not panic about people having guns taken away. if you go back and luck -- i say

this is somebody you on matters of policy agrees that the nra more than not. go back to what they said about president obama, what they said in 2008. is going to be in handguns nationwide. he was going to be the most anti-gun president history. of course he did almost nothing to do with to do with gun control in his first four years. the brady campaign did have an pass an assessment of his record. so i took the nra due in 2012? because i said we were wrong about obama. he's not really our guy, but it's probably not going to be very matched to infringe on gun rights. they went back inside the same thing in 2012 the second 2008 have been proven wrong about. , freed the nra is mostly interested in whipping up hysteria to raise money for itself and perpetuate itself

rather than do anything productive. >> the responsible members of the nra raise their hand and say wait a minute. >> i wouldn't hold my breath on that. >> how much do you think the nra is promoting gun manufacturers and gun sellers? >> i mean, i don't know what they get their funding. they obviously get some from the gun industry and you can make a case that this sort of tech takes the use are helpful to gun sales because you got a big surge in gun sales after obama was reelected. some places in 2008 after the election were big stores like favelas ran out of ammunition. they were so afraid obama was going to take away your

ammunition. >> when i look back at 93, 94 and forward, the big mistake is too much focus on the nra and not enough, gun manufacturers are doing. one of the reasons i leave this earth mayoress is putting pressure on the gun manufacturers who are calling more shots at the nra than the other way around. then you manufacturers have a huge influence on what the nra does. the gun manufacturers push and pay for them and ask money capital will begin to change what they say and how they deal with the gun manufacturers for the big people finding any restriction as it relates to access to guns by criminals. that is so you have to go after, call to the carpet and make sure

they're held accountable and do with them that way. while the nra has played a very influential role, they are funded in a huge way of the gun in a fracture's imax u.s. to be confronted and dealt with in rights and. >> same thing with the retailers, wal-mart, for example as they led a protest about this sale of those kinds of platforms and wal-mart is taking a look at it and we'll see what the impact is going to be. >> if i could come of this debate is the nra. this is a political calculation and so ago when to a plan before we own the company nec of these united autoworkers who are not predisposed to be friendly to republicans. the first time as running i said i'd rather vote for a monkey then a republican. i said i can do that for you. that's the political problem

democrats have. until you get a construct is nra in this debate by not attacking msa must come together and solve this problem, you'll never get southern democrats to vote for this bill. >> one increase in the recent nra for shows and has said many members because it addresses something generally overlooked, which is outside the big city and media centers as they sent among people that the people in the big cities really do not understand why world people are attached to their guns and why they don't see them as this demonic force that a lot of the urban politicians do. and i think the reason the nra sustains its appeal to those people is because it addresses -- it tries to bring their concerns to a congress he may not understand issues very

well. there's a cultural divide here in the nra speaks for one side of divide. >> as they try to say earlier, there are cultural and lifestyle differences, which is why when you try to build a campaign effort and have an impact on the safety of any community, it has to be focused on criminal access to guns and that's where you can build. adiabatic >> without a doubt. and there are exceptions. let me say this, on the type of crimes that were dropped when we try to pass the bill that should be added back in. you have a juvenile sentence for violent crime. their record is exempt when they become in its old shouldn't be. that was dropped back in 93 in the senate. so that to me is where you can

build consensus, bipartisanship without attacking differences that were chicago, new york and newark are versus rural community on a cultural difference with making communities safer. what's happening is in small towns, suburbs are not limited to big cities. >> the question rochon on our side is mr. mayor, you've got teenage kids in chicago killing each other with illegal guns. why is that a reason to infringe on the rights of people like me who are not a danger to anybody? for politicians, leaders like yourself have to do is find ways to go after people misusing guns in a criminal way without earning people who aren't. >> you fight and come to

appreciate the difference in the culture, having spent time there. i've had other people are big-city areas to come to montana as well. one of them is senator schumer of new york who got up there with the 55-mile an hour speed limit until he went across montana it relates to take in a daze. >> that's a scary thought. >> shimmer in montana? >> should there be a proactive effort of some kind? lots of different groups trying to come together on this. can there be at the federal level and attempt to marry the cultures on this issue is not marry them, find common ground where they can work this out and talk to each other in a way that we don't now in the heat of the moment? if you are back chief of staff of the white house about what you say the president, you should go to colorado or wyoming

and bring in governors of the states and other interested parties? >> yes, but what i would do -- there is a place and to tell you the truth, the first u.k. from washington, the more so the conversation is going to get from a political standpoint. doesn't mean somebody wrote the e-mail won't show up, bitty townhome and not a place where you're going to find -- i don't stereotype, and make some judgments here it shall have a consensus, which is more typical of the urban environment that you're going to go into -- let's go back to aurora. those covering communities around aurora, colorado that it is an important conversation because they're sore consensus around the country above refer

to its gun legislation that complements other things. it was defined in republican areas a lot of support for afterschool. the further away you get in continuing the conversation i would say you dispel a breakdown of cultural barriers because there are differences, your ranch in montana. >> on came to my ranch to go fishing and i said to my ranch manager, who is an avid outdoorsman and quite apolitical, owns a lot of guns, but primarily a traditional bow hunter. i say trade when it's coming at us to the has chief of staff ms. brittany secret service detail within. said i've got to go make a spirit i said no, they are going to let their guns.

the secret service came and spent a lot of time and came back on other occasions to go fishiness in the secret service had my ranch manager bonded over it. >> respect do not and i don't want to use your ranch income of your ranch and would understand what i'm trying to do in the city of chicago that respect because the further you get away, you will have the conversation in a political free sound and you have a consensus. >> here's the other half i want to tell you. a couple years ago justice scalia came out. not with dick cheney. [applause] justice scalia came out to go fishing would have justice o'connor fishing on another piece of property, so we had to give the judicial inclusion rule

advocate of sandra day o'connor, would have justice scalia. a friend of mine, a very conservative man called said could you take in fishing? they said they would. i never really met him before. i try to put them at ease by saying the entire day for the record record of mr. justice, otherwise sobieski me about judicial decisions unless you got the news and he did when i go there at all. at dinner that night, my friend the big her said to me i take me know to the main street into a shop of all known in montana and he got so excited he came over and shook minas hand enthusiastically and said to him, thank you for allowing me to keep my guns then he was very pleased having said that to me. i say to my friend, even justice scully at knows that's not the

issue. the issue is what goes on in the inner city in america. come see the illegal hand gun and justice scalia said that the issue and that's a very tough one for the society to resolve. so those are the fissures in american society should go across the cultural landscape that we all have to work a lot harder at. 20 thank you all for your attention. i want to thank our panel. [applause]

>> attorney general eric holder called on lawmakers today to pass the president's plan to reduce gun violence and ignore pressures from gun rights groups. he spoke before the u.s. conference of mayors that included remarks from transportation security administrator john pistole and mayor mike mcginn. from washington d.c., this is just over an hour. [inaudible conversations] >> good morning.

i am a stickler for the non-time, so we will get started with this meeting. i'm in east parker mayor of houston and chaired the criminal and social justice committee. i have several cochairs. don't have to be here at the moment, but major innocent progress. i'm going to allow everybody to quickly introduce yourself, but were on a fairly tight schedule, so just give me your name and city and will go around quickly. >> davenport iowa. >> connecticut. [inaudible] [inaudible]

[inaudible] [inaudible] cardiac i.d. on my [inaudible] [inaudible] >> i do have a cochair who is here. thank you for being here. now it's my honor to introduce

our first speaker. we're going to your current tsa administrator john pistole. he served in that position since july 2010 when he came to tsa is a 26 year veteran with extensive national security and counterterrorism experience. after september 11 was put in charge of the fbi's greatly expanded counterterrorism program and eventually became the executive assistant director for counterterrorism and counterintelligence. in 2004 was named deputy director for the fbi. administrator pistil comets are honored to have it this morning and we look forward to your comments. please. >> thank you mayor parker for the opportunity to be here today to share a few things with you in terms of what tsa does, why we do that and how that impacts

you as mayors of cities. many of you because we have a large workforce at work in 450 airports, some of your constituents 80 tsa employees. for those who have large cities may be dozens if not hundreds of constituents in your city. there's just a couple things that they could touch on them than if we have time for questions or comments, one is the reason we do our work. after tsa was created after 9/11 to prevent another terrorist attack from taking place and we been successful in doing that. pushing the boundaries that if he will to force those who try to cause us harm to look at vulnerable points in the global system particularly. so every attack that we've seen since 9/11 has been from overseas. this 275 airports that have nonstop service to the u.s..

some of reduce work in partnership to make sure their baseline security of protocol and policy are at least at the point that meets international standards. so we work through the international aviation to raise standards to appoint what we have confidence the security provided to the u.s. are similar to ours. we believe we have the best security in the world. it is the gold standard and that's why chairs looked elsewhere. highly three incidents in the last three years that straight unfortunately the dedication of the terrorists, particularly al qaeda in the arabian peninsula and the links they will go to to blow up a u.s. bound airline. christmas day three years ago you're all familiar with the nigerian man who is given a device, a bomb that had no metal in it.

that individual can walk for a typical airport medical detectors. 10 times, 100 times can a thousand times and never set off the alarm. that's the reason we have the technology in the u.s., by the scanners because those enable us to pick up nonmetallic items. the whole notion is let's have those as a deterrent to force the terrorists who try to come up with new innovative ideas. fortunately, the attack did not occur because simply various technical issues. the young man flew from amsterdam to detroit in the instructions were to blow up a plane. fast forward to two years ago october 2010 were you may recall two packages send to chicago as the ultimate destination.

fortunately because of outstanding international cooperation by a foreign security service, we are getting tracking numbers for those two devices for this two packages. one was fedex, when ups and both had printers that had toner cartridges that were actually bombs. but that tracking numbers, provided those two officials in the united kingdom. they went about packages and said there's no device here. one instance, thick indication they found it on the third. it took them three times to find it. so what we are seeing is a master bomb maker and yemen who is treating others. also use a similar type of device to use his younger

brother is a suicide, or to kill a saudi official. fast forward now to this past year. april of last year was another attempt on a u.s. passenger airline with the intended goal of the arabian peninsula gave the device to get on a u.s. bound aircraft, but the u.k. over u.s. airspace above the planet. fortunately for us, this is a double agent for security. the individual is able to extricate himself and device independent, provided that device to u.s. officials which brought the device back to your and we analyze the device and unfortunately, this is the new improved device. if you look at the class on your table, it was not even that wide. it was a little bit longer than

not. very small, easily concealable and the individual was a double agent. some are very fortunate in that regard. we face a terrorist group that is innovative in their design, construction and concealment of devices. that's what tsa provides security. we don't provide security overseas since you on a. but the notion is how can we use the information and intelligence base rate. what i want to share with you here is how we have changed our one-size-fits-all approach after 9/11 aware of the threats out there. if you hear anything about the space security, rbs, it's the notion they cannot expect to provide a 100% guaranteed. we screen 1.87 trillion passengers, 1.2 million checked

bags, over 2 million carry-on bags. nearly 6 million people every day we screen. so we try to do is mitigate or manage risk as you doing your job as mayors. try to manage situations. it's a recognition of fat in how we work in partnership with the traveling public to see if you want to share information about yourselves with us, we can do prescreening before you ever get to the check point and expedited physical screening. because i tsa preset. were operating in 35 airports around the country now will be expanded to several more this year. what that means is you are a known and trusted traveler and you go to a dedicated lane, keep your shoes, though, jacket, but with, jealous and laptop in a carry-on bag. it helps us because we can spend more time on as who know the

least about and expedite those who are interested. i think all of you would consider yourself trusted and so we would like to work with you as possibilities of including terms of a known trusted population. we have a table out here where we are working with people. one way signing up for global injury at the customs border protection program that allows reentry when you come back to the u.s. but also qualifies you for tsa preset. to some of the policy changes we've done in this paradigm shift from one-size-fits-all. those of you who know buddy 75 and older are 12 and under. we have about 100,000 passengers every day in u.s. airports in those categories. members of the military to fight

for freedom and in the past we've treated them as if they were. recognizing there's no guarantee , always an exception to the rule, saloon keeper into an unpredictable part of the process. pilots in flight attendant, over 95%, 175,000 a week go through different way of screening as opposed to gm in the passenger line. so there's other members of u.s. intelligence community's top-secret clearances. we know a lot about them is that why we should treat them the same as if we had no information about them. that's what this risk-based security initiative is. the idea 2013 and beyond is how do we stand at known and trusted population? were interested in working with you in identifying groups of

people of those who may want to sign up for local injury. ehrlich and other opportunities for those who don't have passports, that you may be interested in having a tsa preset benefits of their subtype of expedited process for that. you do have to have it pass. so those are some of the things were working on or just want to make you aware of. as you move away from the one-size-fits-all con struck to be more tailored and more precise in passenger screening and cargo screening. those of you who are mayors of cities the size that i've airports that are economic drivers are engines for local or regional community is coming in a homeport is to have safety security. our job is to work to provide for the best movement of people

and goods at the best possible security. thank you for your time this morning. look forward to any questions. [applause] >> we do appreciate you being here and you accurately describe -- [inaudible] we want safety, but we depend on international traffic. what are we doing to make sure that international business people can get in, but also protect under the society meant to national side? >> a number of initiatives underway to facilitate better visa issuing, trying to be more welcoming for business and tourism. those are things taking off in different areas of the government. when they were doing at tsa is trying to develop known and trusted traveler programs we can

recognize. we've taken the first step with their friends to the north. canada has a known and trusted traveler program called nexus with citizens in the program and so we've accepted them. mexico has a program. working with mexican authorities to recognize that known and trusted population. a number of initiatives that would help not only people in the u.s. cannot be u.s. citizens traveling internationally because right now preach i can say to message program but what were working with internationally to be allowed to chabrol internationally. [inaudible] >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you.

[applause] >> now we're going to have a preferred porphyrin seattle mayor mike mcginn has been spearheading efforts to human trafficking. efforts to require certain publications such as that page.com and other classified services to clement in person age verification and in the exploitation of children through their services. mayor mcginn. >> thank you mayor parker for inviting me to this. this meant that the national humans xaverian traffic prevention on and our city council has passed a resolution called to the scene. mayors meeting in orlando conference passed a resolution, calling on back page.com to reform practices to add

exploitation of minors and i want to give you did on that. just described a problem briefly. we know from our police department in human services providers that when we took a look at king county and seattle region, there is somewhere between three or 500 underage young women being sold for sex online in the area and that was kind of shocking to s. and it's not as well-known a problem as it should be. i invite you to take a look locally. i think we've just seen this happening in a lot of places. basically vulnerable young women, whether immigrants, come from a broken home purchase a bad situation at home or maybe not are preyed upon and forced into this life of being sold for sex and they're vulnerable. it's very abusive, dominating

relationship, similar to the situation on domestic violence in a way and these young women are controlled. it's very horrifying. this change philosophies and seattle to when we changed our base unit to high risk that ensued. the major point was to view individuals as victims of crime, not perpetrators and when we recovery to woman, we have a program called the bridge to give them a place to stay, wraparound services and take them out of this life, which is challenging, to because the and other people work to create an environment in which the person is fearful and they return again to it. so what we know is the internet has changed how this works. if advertised online. one of the places where it had

been. police department has recovered 25 young women advertise for sale in a few go, when you have a chance to go online, look up your city and you will find escorts are advertised in your city. you don't know whether those are over 18 are under 18, but i can tell you, neither does that page. they will say they were work on it, but we asked them to require in person age verification this idea for everyone advertises the mask or did they refuse. we prayer pressure. state leaders did end back page.com is a wholly owned print publications including seattle, seattle weekly and as a result of the pressure not to thank you for your help, divested itself

of back page.com. i was a success story. there's bad news is slow. state senator g nico was passed legislation saying to advertise children for sale on the internet would be criminal if he facilitated that in the affirmative defense to the crime would be if you had in person age verification. subpoena from the defense for companies like back page. backbeats went to the court, cited the federal communications decency act to prevent internet companies are those online for being liable for the actions of others. they said we were completely preempted in their freedom of speech rights trump the new criminal law. unfortunately they prevailed. i don't think congress needs to allow companies to with knowing

disregard for the effects of practices to enable this. but this is the challenge we face still ever preempted from the field. we'll go back again and work on this. it's one of their primary thing and they refused to institute practices to stop it. other online advertising companies don't have the same problem. that's why police department reports to me. the next step in seattle as a conference of mayors have been on the eyesight corridor because we know is these young women are brought from town to town. seattle police department study based and attract one phone number being advertised. we don't know whether this is underage or not. and of course is in big cities like san francisco, seattle, portland. also little cities like roses lake and this person is transported from face to face.

the capacity of our police department to respond to catch activities challenging. so were working with a local company, microsoft to work on better technological solution so when real-time police departments can share information and potentially interdict those and in the field right then and there, if their young woman who we should seek to recover. were trying to bring more pressure upon the men who do this. the internet has accelerated the street. we need new tools to attempt combat. they also play a role in this. i'm sure there's more that can be done. i went to thank you for the work the u.s. conference of mayors has done an elevating this issue. i'll say is a mayor to talk about this, to understand these young women in the community being exploited is horrible and it's hard to believe it's as bad as services.

it's happening in your community, to come we all need to find a way to change the climate where men feel like it's okay to go online and ideas that we need better tools to combat it donates a look at our own federal laws about whether acer is not appropriate regulation. thank you for your work. [applause] >> anyone have any questions for mayor mcginn? is particularly aspects i know many of us have problems in our cities they human trafficking.

and i have a task force for treating human genes but it's also for domestic labor and it's a growing problem in the united states and that may be whether it's a sex worker or a nanny in involuntary services confined to a household or the worker in your favorite nail salon, whether they in fact are able to leave that salon and travel freely in cities. so what he said they were beginning to look at as mayors. i have been joined by one of my cochairs -- i'm sorry, des moines, iowa.

i to have you here. we are expecting the attorney general shortly. they have assured me, as you know, how's this works but he is imminently arriving, but i'm not quite sure. but if there's no other questions on the human trafficking issue -- yes, ma'am. [inaudible] >> -- on their issue. [inaudible] [inaudible] what we're trying to do is talk about a campaign that these are underage girls.

any sex with a girl under 18. what can that not only crimes against people trafficking, but also shaming people. in our neighborhoods, neighbors are starting to send letters to the onerous of these cars in these neighborhoods. we call it a dear john letter. [laughter] >> dear john letter sounds like a really good idea. >> mayor mcginn, i don't know if you have anything you want to add to. we're drawing a distinction. i don't consider it the oldest profession. i think politics is. were not specifically discussing now within the u.s. conference

of mayors. we are however focusing on the human trafficking aspect of it, we're primarily with underage girls, but anyone involuntary forced into one of these positions. our next speaker is here. ..

>> just three days after the tragedy occurred there is a statement sent urging immediate action more than 200 mayors have signed on and we're calling on our president to exercise powers through executive order to pass legislation to make reasonable changes in

legislation. specifically recalled on congress to enact legislation to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and strengthen the background check and possible penalties. we are very well aware whether a mass shooting or a murder on a streetcorner will take more to strengthen our gun law. have a culture of violence in the nation so a violent act should not be the first response. what can we do about that? we can find the whole system and to get them the help that they need. we are aware the affordable care act needs to put more

emphasis on health -- mental health and it links the work that we do with access to appropriate mental-health. the president has heard our call with the plan he unveiled on tuesday and you have a copy and includes much more. now the attorney general of the united states i assume he will address that. attorney general holder served as deputy during the clinton administration from the district of columbia. we appreciate the leadership that mr. holder has brought to the department. during his tenure we see a

renewed commitment. one is the grant that we all love as mayor to strengthen our cities as well. you have sharpened the national focus on violence prevention with youth and also with our local efforts to combat violence. you remember of the vice president's working group. it is our honor to have you here today. [applause] >> good morning. or good afternoon. one of the two. [laughter] thank-you mayor parker for those kind words. and it is approved it -- privilege to be included in this annual form. also with u.s. conference of

mayors executive committee and staff to make the meeting such a success for the opportunity to take part. this organization has brought together our nation's best and brightest to share ideas, expertise, mutual the sporrans -- concerns and formulate policy that our citizens to serve. i have worked with many of you to address the most safety challenges that we face. it is an honor to you doing this vice president by dan and i am particularly grateful to add to this

dialogue and for your leadership and partnership with one another federal, state, and local and tribal leaders the united states to permit the justice. every day we stand under fire against terrorism and crime can threats to those were vulnerable against us. guarding against civil-rights violation with guns, a gang and the drug fueled violence that takes away too many promising futures. you understand what we are up against. use see it firsthand on a daily basis. most importantly no public

safety challenge could be understood in isolation and none of us could make a progress to secure the results of our communities deserve on our own. in particular with gun violence that has touched every city and toyota hot represented. leaders in the room have joined with us to support law enforcement and strengthened anti-violence initiatives. especially recently especially with the events from new telekinetic it. -- connecticut and we need to protect the most vulnerable, our children. in you were here to honor the lessons of sandy hook elementary school and mills unacceptable levels of gun

violence that plagues our cities and towns every day. this unspeakable tragedy and individual tragedies that take place on your streets that go unnoticed is a reminder of our shared responsibility not just the back -- epidemic crimes but underlying conditions through gun violence. the overwhelming majority have been responsive and law-abiding citizens but yet we have seen how tragic it can be for dangerous people to acquire deadly weapons. although there is no single solution it is incumbent to try and what common sense steps we can take to save

lives that means many to secure the tools to keep the guns out of the hands of those who should not be allowed to possess them. well the second amendment rights are upheld but the process effectively those who use firearms to commit acts of violence even for the most difficult and bracing -- pervasive challenges. many of you participated yesterday when they discussed the efforts to combat gun violence and those recommendations obama adopted earlier this week. with more than 200 groups and organizations organizations, policymakers and private citizens have helped to formulate the plan

and technology experts and concede the advocates, retailers, mental -health professionals and members of the clergy and members of the entertainment industry. these were frank and wide-ranging and inclusive obama said indyk quote womack if there's one thing we can do to repeat -- reduce the violence or one might saved finley have the obligation to try. to talk about a range of remedies with 23 executive actions to prevent gun violence to put a number of these proposals into actions they will soon be introduced and congress and we hope

will received kindly consideration. also within the department of justice will continue to do everything in our power to implement recommendations to keep our people safe and secure. but we cannot do this alone it defense on millions of americans with dedicated service like you in order to make a positive difference. reaching call for immediate action congress should move swiftly to acquire universal background checks every time somebody attempts to buy a gun.

we can significantly strengthen the ability to keep dangerous individuals from getting deadly weapons but then to run those transactions through the system through licensed gun dealer. many already facilitate those private individuals on a regular basis and we encourage more to make sure they're all subject to the comprehensive background check. and as a whole it is remarkably effective with background check determination's and roughly 95% within three business.

with more than one point* 5 million tons have stopped from falling into the wrong hands but we must do better with informations to tear down the barriers to tear down barriers to make sure our laws are as effective as possible when it comes to identify those to identify with fire arms. to redress said gaps of the national back and check and with federal law enforcement agencies try to trace those recovered at the same time to put an end to the virtual freeze on nonpartisan research for disease control as directed to examine the

cause of this violence he is taking a variety of steps with the tools and training and resources we need and to respond. at the president's direction the guideline to make clear under existing laws doctors no way is prohibited for threats of violence to work with individual communities to make our schools saved your -- safer and with the affordable care act increase access to mental-health access for all. let me be very clear. let me be very clear about one executive order contrary to what you have said and

hinges on second amendment rights or executive power. but this is just the beginning. did restoration has called upon congress those with the high-profile mass shootings by getting rid of armor piercing bullets with the new assault weapons ban and those enacted in 1994 to keep those off of our streets and to them pose tough penalties from criminals to traffic weapons. this is from any serious comprehensive effort to eradicate gun violence. to urge congressional leaders to adopt them

without delay. also like to call todd jones this is a critical justice department component without a senate confirmed the leader over six years. to eliminate misguided restrictions for the importation of dangerous weapons simply because of their age. some say it will require a tough vote by members of congress that there are times those of us were elected as but the interest of those we are privileged to serve them might be expedient or safe. this is one of those times.

looking at the enforcement capacity by enacting common-sense legislation to stem proliferation of military style weapons and magazines we can and will make significant strides that too often fills our headlines. and then to go to a new level to advance the conversation how we can put an end to these crimes and secure our future for those that we are privileged to serve. in addition to advocating for the legislative action of the president on wednesday, to stand with america's mayors with the anti-violence initiatives already under way.

was state and local partners the grant program that eclipse them with the latest tools and technologies for:over similar period from the hiring program had more than one point* $5 billion to detect 8,000 jobs in law enforcement. we're seeking $1 billion more from our next budget. forging strong relationships with law-enforcement agencies to build the platform for what they face on a daily basis. with technical assistance we naval officers to anticipate and prevent and survive by lent encounters like the

bulletproof vest program we hope to provide equipment that is saving lives. based on the recommendations they bring a variety of partners together with at risk children for unacceptable levels of violence. we could be proud of these and other efforts because you have been discussing this week he cannot yet be satisfied and you cannot be complacent. preventing future tragedies in first responders each has the power and responsibility

and despite the challenges and frustration dividing us from one another we have disenchant -- essential roles to play with the debate across the nation. we have been given a chance to help determine its future. joining the conference of mayors and planning for the 82nd i errors you all to seize this moment and keep up the conversation to continue working together with the goals that we all shared. as indispensable leaders fear contributions coming years service and ongoing dedication to improve the lives of those around us. thank you very much.

[applause] >> i have several mayors to last if the attorney general would take questions but unfortunately he does not and is on a tight schedule but there is an official letter from u.s. conference of mayors on the issue of gun violence and gun safety. more than 200 have signed it. if you're not one of the mayor's who has signed on to that statement you have the opportunity to do so today. we would be happy to have you as part of that. i am the mayor of houston.

texas is a done owning state. i am a gun owner. and believe in the right to bear arms but i stick with my fellow mayors do say there are common sense legislation we could put in place to make us safer. some in the room today have similar thoughts in parts of the country that are supportive of personal ownership of weapons to step up and make our voices heard. please state your name. >>. >> you have the lecky microphone.

go-ahead. >> last week when they spoke with the president's proposals, my observation is speenine and quite frankly the washington will come in and they're in a better position with local spaces

these plans can be implemented without the great warrior of washington for skimming and to take there guns to also allow the administration to come up with a package if there are 10 items coming out in my senators don't move forward then i will not take all of that. so they should push it to the local level we to be much more healthful to the administration with the fear of the national government they can vote me at of office quickly. if we could just empower it would be helpful that is what i urge this administration.

>> it is a fear of washington more than the local public officials. mayor molder? come over here. >> i took the liberty to talk to my police chief. he has been one in a prior communities nearly 20 years. i heard the attorney general mention that explains the question my chief asked was he would anticipate major professional law enforcement organizations would support the report and recommendation but it is silent of the position of the bureau of the alcohol tobacco firearms and

explosives. h'm. >> they have not had a director six years.

director six years. all of these catastrophic events, it is incomprehensible and we have to have a reaction in the u.s. congress of mayors we need each and every one to let your congress member know that something has to be done but they are

considered to do nothing. this is to book -- big to push around for weeks and months and do nothing or half baked. i address it. [applause] >> thank you. >> i would just ask to have discussions with said chief of police, a talk about assault weapons and having been in the military myself not concerned with how it looks but how it operates. when i pull the trigger is there one bullet, three

bullets? a lot? that is what makes the difference between the military style within. i am less concerned if it has a handgrip develop better weapon with a totally piece of equipment was bullets coming at me. >> my own police chief in major cities interested like armor piercing bullets. >> am the mayor of sunnyvale. for having them there stu's sign the letters i have a question and a statement. know how many local cities have ordinances to address